Two Weeks With a SEAL (The Wakefield Romance Series) (5 page)

"We'll find
someplace," he smiled. So it was going to one of
those
nights.
Where we just drove around aimlessly, stopping wherever and whenever. That was
perfectly okay with me. Finishing my beer, I grabbed my purse and an old
sweatshirt from the coat hook, letting Chad hold the door for me again as I
locked up. His truck was amazing, it even smelled brand new as I slid into the
passenger seat. It had all the bells and whistles, the perfectly clear sounding
radio thrumming to life with the turn of the key.

I ran my hand along the
pristine dashboard, playing with the radio buttons and opening and closing the
center console. It was so clean, I just had to touch it, a slight chuckle
coming from beside me. "It's like you've never been in a new
vehicle," Chad laughed, backing out of my driveway, a wide smile on his
face.

"Oh shut up,"
I kid, punching him in the arm then squealing when he jabs his arm at me,
trying to tickle me. "The road, the road," I squeal as his truck
starts to swerve and I push his hands back to the steering wheel, his laugh
warming my heart and making me giggle. Sighing I lean on the center console, my
head lolled to the side and resting on my shoulder, a smile on my lips as I
watch the almost barren landscape pass through the windshield as we drive out
of town. I see him adjust himself in his seat, leaning towards me and my heart
races as I see his arm hesitantly slide up onto the top of the console, his
hand mere inches from mine. I try not to let him know I'm watching out of the
corner of my eye as I see him shoot a look at my fingers tapping away on the
leather, his fingers wiggling as if he's nervous. Then he does it, he slides
his hand forward, taking mine and interlacing our fingers, his slightly rough
skin bringing my nerve endings to life. I had to close my eyes, the sensation of
his touch making the breath catch in my lungs, then I opened them to look down
at our hands, joined, resting on the new leather. He squeezed his fingers
lightly, bringing my look up to his face and the sweet, childish smile that was
on his lips causing one to pass over mine. The blush that followed embarrassed
me, diverting my eyes to my lap Chad squeezed my hand again and I squeezed
back, looking out my window at the darkened sky.

We drove like that for
probably an hour, silent except for small conversation, the radio blaring in
between me changing the stations, the entire time our hands joined over the
center console, never parting. I noticed the sign for the Great Dismal Swamp
National Wildlife Refuge as Chad turned past the open gate, picnic tables and bike
trails lining the road as we drive by. He pulled up in front of a covered
pavilion, throwing it in park I look over at him with a raised eyebrow,
"What are we doing?"

"Come on," he
smiled, releasing my hand and leaving it cold only for a second as he slams his
door shut, jogging around to open mine for me, "we're gonna go for a
walk." His hand was warm as I slid mine back into its resting spot, his
fingers squeezing mine lightly as I threw my sweatshirt over my shoulder. I
notice Chad spit out his Skoal pouch as we walk down a little sidewalk towards
the sparsely lighted tree line and I can't help but giggle, getting his
attention.

"What," he
asks, rolling his tongue around in his mouth, spitting onto the grass as we
walk, his hand squeezing mine. I just shake my head, trying to cover my giggles
with my left hand, looking out into the trees I notice a flame. I stop, pulling
Chad to a stop too, his face still on mine then moving to see where my stare
was centered. "That's what I wanna show you," his mouth was close to
my ear and I jumped, shivers wracking my spine and goose-bumps filling my skin.
He pulled me along, my eyes never leaving that flame in between the trees,
Chad's smile in the corner of my vision as we got closer.

Stopping just around a
stone pillar, Chad wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me back into his
chest as I looked out at the flames that were surrounding us. His touch sent me
reeling, my head lolling back against his chest as the light and warmth
surrounded us. "Eternal flames," I whispered more to myself, my
breath noticeable in the fire light, Chad chuckling, the vibrations running
throughout my body making a smile caress my lips.

"Cool right,"
he said, turning me around with his hands on my shoulders, the look in his eyes
catching me off guard. The fire danced around inside his eyes like it was
coming from his soul and it took my breath away, his hands moving in opposite
directions, one down my arm to snake around my waist and the other to come up
under my chin, tilting my face up to his. His thumb brushed along my jaw and my
eyes closed, waiting for him to kiss me. I could feel his heart racing as my
palms rested on his chest, his breathing fast and short. "Look at
me," he whispered and my eyes snapped open as if under his spell, his face
only an eyelash away from mine, the heat from his breath washing over me as his
eyes roamed my face. "This is hard for me," he said, a sudden wave of
sadness running through his features.

My eyebrows furrowed as
I got up on my tip-toes, running my hands over his chest to his neck and
shoulders, interlacing my fingers behind his head, tangling in his hair.
"What's hard for you," I ask and I can feel the desire lingering in
my voice, the rapid beat of my heart as his arm squeezed me tight to his body.

"I don't want to
hurt you," he said, his forehead leaning on mine, his hand massaging at
the back of my neck, the sensation making my eyes close and my fingers grip
into his hair, my body involuntarily arching into his. I could feel the grunt run
through Chad's chest and my eyes opened to see him biting his bottom lip, his
eyes on mine and I couldn't take it anymore, I lifted my chin and brought my
mouth to his. His hand gripped the back of my head to hold me fast, his arm
squeezing around my waist as my feet left the ground, his stature lifting me
off of the wet earth.

Our lips moved in sync
and I could taste the lingering wintergreen on his tongue from the Skoal, but
it didn't bother me, I didn't care. I'd take this man with a mouthful of shit
if the opportunity came up, so my lips moved with his, our tongues mingling
like they were hungry. He broke the frenzy with his hand on my cheek, our
foreheads going together and our breathing heavy and quick. "I don't want
to hurt you," he breathed out, his hands gripping the side of my face
making me look up at him, his eyes filled with concern.

"Stop worrying
about hurting me," I say, tears finding my eyes, silently spilling out,
"start worrying about loving me the way a man should." A smile came
to his lips and it felt like a weight lifted off of him, his mouth finding mine
for a long, hard kiss before he surprised me by swinging me up and over his
shoulder, my stomach nestled to his chest. "What are you doin," I
giggled, the heat still flooding my body as the flames disappeared back into
the trees, Chad carrying me out the way we came.

Before I knew it, the
back door of his truck was opening and Chad was sitting me down on the edge of
the seat, his hands on my waist and his eyes locked on mine. There were no
words needed in that moment, my lips taking his and pulling him into the back
of his new truck, his hand pulling the door shut, darkening the cab to the
outside world. Our clothes hurriedly disappeared as our lips and hands searched
the dark, small giggles flowing from my lips as Chad's beard tickled my skin.
Reaching into the front and turning the radio on, I pull Chad back to me as
Staind's "So Far Away" softly played in the background. It felt
right. It felt awesome and I savored every second of having this man in my arms
again.

Our love- making fogged
the windows, Chad wiping the moisture away as we pulled our clothes back on. I
was looking for my tank top as the familiar tickle of Chad's beard found my
back, his hands moving slowly around my bare stomach, his lips moving their way
up to the side of my neck.

"Will you stay with
me tonight," he whispered against my hair making little lightning bolts
move across my skin as his fingers trailed up my stomach and across my black
lace push-up bra. He was asking me to stay the night with him? Really? Was this
happening? Was it all finally falling into place? No it was too early to be
thinking that.

"I have to work
tomorrow," I whispered, my hands finding my tank next to my leg as I
leaned my head back against his bare shoulder.
Damn my bills
, I cursed
in my head.

"Ah, you can call
in this once," his lips moved against my exposed neck, the tiny hairs
along his face sending a hot wave of desire through my soul. This man had me
wrapped around his finger in the matter of moments and I was putty in his
large, capable hands.

"Okay," I
breathed out feeling a smile caress his lips that were kissing my collar bone.
Taking my mouth in a lingering, engine revving display, Chad stepped out of the
truck letting me finally pull my shirts and flip flops on.

Our drive back to my
double wide was filled with comfortable semi-silence, my head nestled into his
shoulder as he held me tight to his side having pushed up the center console
that had separated us before. My legs were splayed across his lap, my bare feet
up against the door, my finger twirling in his hair. The gravel crunched as
Chad pulled next to my truck, throwing it in park and lifting my chin up so
that his eyes met mine. The smile that crossed his face made my heart jump, a
giggle running freely as he lifted me out of the truck with him, setting me on
my feet and swatting me on the butt. Filling a small duffle bag with a few
pieces of my sexiest lingerie, t-shirts, socks, pants, sneakers and bathroom
items, I snagged my makeup bag and birth control pills from the sink drawer,
leaving my bedroom with a smile.

Making sure the windows
were all shut and the lights were all off, I locked up the storm door to turn
and see Duke's truck on my lawn, and Duke in Chad's face. How could I have
missed the yelling, Duke's face beet red as I stumbled down the porch steps,
dropping my duffel bag as I got closer. "Hey," I screamed, Harlan
stepping in my path and holding my shoulders. I push at his hands, but he's a
big farm boy and he held me tight.

"What the fuck do
ya think you're doin, boy," Duke's drunk slur made my stomach turn and I
shoved at Harlan, trying to get around him. I punched at his chest with balled
up fists and he grabbed them, twisting them in front of me and holding my back
to his front as he spun around to face the two yelling men. They were toe to
toe, Duke's face red and Chad's indifferent, mocking even.

"Let me go
Harlan," I screamed, pulling at the hold he had on my wrists.

"No Ray," his
deep, thick Southern drawl flowed like molasses, "let them finish
it." I pulled at his hold, my wrists burning from the friction of his
rough hands on my skin. Chad and Duke spared me a look at the same time, their
eyes meeting mine.

 "Get outta here
Duke," I yelled, Harlan finally letting me go and I fell to one knee with
the momentum. "Get the fuck outta here," I screamed, pointing towards
his truck.

"No way," and
he pushed Chad with both hands on his chest, Chad stumbling slightly back. I
sprung up, even though a sharp pain shot up through my knee and headed for
Duke's truck, hopping up on the step rail and reaching into the open bed for
the ever present tire iron he kept back there. I saw Chad keep his composure,
taking taunting words from Duke who was up in his face. Chad could kill him in
a second, but he knew Duke wasn't worth it.

"Leave or I'll
smash your windows," I scream bringing the tire iron back as if I was
going swing it, aimed right at the driver’s window.

"Ray, this Navy boy
is just using you," Duke yelled in Chad's face, his hands pushing him
again, an evil smile sported on Chad's lips. "He'll leave ya high and dry
just like Randy did." His words stung both Chad and I and the emotion
flowed through my arm as I brought the tire iron forward, smashing the window
of Duke's precious truck. The glass splintered, spraying the side of my face as
I held my eyes shut, two hands pulling me to the ground, the smell of beer and
chew washing over me. "You fuckin' bitch," Duke screamed, pinning me
to the ground, and I squirmed to get out of his grasp, sliding on my back and
getting to my feet, stopping Chad's approach with my hands on his chest.

His eyes roamed my body
as his hands went to my face, subconsciously making sure I was okay and I
nodded my head, his eyes darting back to the retreating Duke and Harlan.
"This is far from over," Duke spit at our feet as he slammed his
truck in reverse, the tires spraying gravel up against my porch and the side of
the trailer. His tires squeal three quarters of the way down my street as his
tail lights faded around the corner, heading back towards town. I buried my
face in Chad's shirt, sighing heavily as his arms surrounded me.

"Tell me about you
and him," Chad's voice was still edged with anger, my eyes seeing that he
still watched the spot where Duke's truck disappeared. I scoffed, shaking loose
of his grasp and picking my bag up off of the ground.

"It was
nothing," I say, shrugging my shoulders not turning around to look at him
because I knew there was shame written all over my face. I could tell he was
looking at me and his eyes were locked on mine when I spared a quick look over
my shoulder. "I was drunk, it only happened three times over the last
year, the last time can't even be considered sex," I choked, picking up
the clothing that had spilled from my bag along with my makeup.